Poor Quality playback on new machine

[Barry10]

Helping a friend setup a new NextPvr machine.
1. It is an i-3 with a intel skylake 530 hdmi connection to TV
2. Hauppuage 2250 OTA for recording ATSC TV shows
3. NextPvr is fully installed and recording /playing live TV
4. Using the FFDshow decoder Mpeg2.
5. Windows 10 looks normal and everything fits on the screen and is clear.
6. All tuner signal qualities are high and no issues recording live shows.
7. File sizes are the same size as ones on my working machine.
Problem
1. No matter which decoder I use the picture quality is poor and grainy with live TV, more like 480 than 720 or 1080
2. Recorded shows also play grainy using media player and Nextpvr internal player
3. Recorded videos are crystal clear with VLC, ruling out hardware
4. Almost like a dscaler is messed up somewhere.
I don’t think it is an NextPVR problem since it has poor playback quality with other players, but am looking for some suggestions on how to trouble shoot.
Thanks
Would provide logs, but machine is 30 miles away.

[mvallevand]

Make sure the video card is configured to output a standard HD video (not PC) resolution and if the TV has diagnostics that they match the output Maybe even try a different HDMI port they vary in quality in many TV's.

If it is not a physical problem how does it look with the Hauppauge WinTV software? Software wise that is where I'd start.

For playback quality the choice of AC3 decoder is very important too.

Martin

[2leftfeet]

Have you tried the MainConcept/Hauppauge decoders that come with WinTV?

[Barry10]

I have tried both the Lav and FFdshow decoders; I would have to order a disk for the Hauppuage, can't download and buy direct, takes about 2 weeks. The only program which plays perfectly clear is VLC, which to my knowledge does not use decoders. I did set him up with AC3 for the audio. Interesting problem. I think somewhere in the config files it is set to a lower resolution. When he purchased the machine he hooked it up to an 800 x 600 display, and windows did detect the new 1080 resolution, but something did not get reset. The recorded files are the normal 6 gig per hour. This only occurs when playing back or watching live TV. Works great on Netflix, VLC, and youtube. If I install Kodi, and set up the PVR client, would Kodi use the same decoder or does it bypass mpeg2 decoders? Also playing recorded files with the modern web interface the signal is very good.

Thanks, interesting problem

[2leftfeet]

VLC does use its own decoders. It is my understanding from the posts I have read in the Kodi forum (I cannot confirm) that Kodi uses the same decoder code base as VLC - Sub or Martin are more versed than I in this area.. So for a test, you might want to try Kodi.

[2leftfeet]

Also, you might want to try nlite - which uses the VLC codecs.

[mvallevand]

Kodi has a built in player (decoders, demux etc) and doesn't use DirectShow. The heart of most open source players is ffmpeg.

Martin

[Barry10]

Follow up, I tested with Kodi, and video quality was poor. Only decent rendering is with VLC. Really strange problem. Might stick an Nvidia card in and give it a go.

Also I have a intel skylake i-5 with a 530, no tuner board. I am trying to test playback files using the player within NextPvr. Seems to launch but no video or audio. The files runs fine on Media Player and VLC. Attached are the logs.

Any suggestion would be appreciated.


To make it play. I clicked live TV and received and forced an error message. Then the videos would play. Unfortunately they are all clear on my machine and does not have the same problem. Nvidia board test next.

[mvallevand]

In those logs I just see you playing an mkv so that is not a good test for NextPVR playback since it just passes it to Windows for playback. For an mkv file you will need the LAV splitter and then default decoders for the codecs in the container. LAV decoders are good with the LAV splitter.

I don't think you should be having any problem with an mkv in Kodi with Skylake HD graphics though, especially with v17.

Martin

[Barry10]

Thanks for the help Martin, you are right should be testing .ts files. I have an extra geforce 730 so may give it a try. When in normal mode it runs great. But live TV and playback of Mkv and .ts files is poor. Kodi looks worse than Mpeg 2 .ts file from NextPvr. Must be an over scan issue. It is an old 55 inch Sony, even tried different HDMI ports. My skylake i5 looks good, better with Kodi than the ffdshow or Microsoft decoder on playback. VLC seems to be the clearest with no artifacts. So for now it is VLC and NextPVR doing the heavy lifting. If I find a solution will post, might help someone.